Ramona woke up well before the 3am alarm, bursting with energy. The moving guys had already begun their trek across the country, and she’d be on her way in just a few hours. They had booked the earliest flight out so that Lucas could get back in time for an event at the restaurant. Some sort of annual event, apparently. She’d made coffee and was nearly done cutting fruit for her travel snacks by the time he was out of the shower.

He appeared in the kitchen, still wet, with nothing but the towel he was rubbing through his hair. Good thing she had already put the knife down or else her digits might have ended up on the cutting board. Damn, that man was nice to look at.

“Look who’s up.” He dropped the towel onto his shoulder. “What happened to my bed-loving babe?”

She wondered if they had time for a quickie. It would be a crime to let all that manly goodness go to waste. “Today’s a big day. Besides, I always do this before I travel. Have to get all my food prepped.”

“Right. I forgot. No eating airplane food. Can I help?”

“Hmmm…” She licked her lips and stared. “Maybe something…”

His mouth opened just enough to let out a surprised sigh. In two long steps, he was behind her, hands on her hips. “Would you like me to take you… here?”

It didn’t matter what time it was. The flight could wait. She moved the cutting board away from the edge of the counter and jutted her hips back. “Yes, please.”

Her leggings and thong were down in seconds. His erection pressed into her back. Without heels on, she might not have been tall enough for the proportions to work. He’d have to-

He spun her around, dropped to his knees, and bit the top of her mound. She gasped when his tongue slid between her lips. An even better surprise. With a pull of his mouth and a glide of his thumb, perched at her opening, he’d wiped out any thoughts about meals or planes or anything but his face between her legs. His thumb slid inside her, teeth grazing her clit, and Lucas’ mighty orgasm-making mouth succeeded again.

Her fingers burrowed into his hair as pulses rippled up her center and a groan escaped her open mouth. Before her breathing had stilled, he was on his feet, picking her up and placing her a few feet away, on an unoccupied stretch of counter.

His lips pressed against hers, coating them with her own scent. His tongue filled her mouth, his fingers sunk into the soft flesh of her hips, and the head of his cock pushed inside her.

Every time, that sensation made her feel like she couldn’t take him in. It would be too much. Then he stopped and looked her in the eye. Breathed with her. Whispered his love for her.

“This is my favorite position, you know.”

So. Hard. To. Talk. “Why?” It came out more like a breath than a word.

He smiled. “It was our first.”

She moaned into the crook of his neck, his strokes lengthening, his pace increasing, her body dissolving into pure pleasure.

His recognizable slowdown, telling her he was close, pushed her to an edge, even higher, even brighter, then-

“Fuuucccckk,” he howled as he pushed them together, bone on bone, flesh in flesh, orgasm bounding between them in synchronized bursts.

She held onto him as if she would never let go.

---

Ramona wasn’t even a tiny bit fazed by the flurry to get to the airport on time. Her normal compulsion with never running to catch a plane, born from a lifetime of travel, never kicked in. Riding on a high of Lucas-loving, she arrived in her seat without a smile ever leaving her face.

“So, you always fly in first class?” Lucas fiddled around with the panel of controls between them.

She gave him a face. “Can you imagine flying a few million miles in coach?”

“I can’t imagine flying a few million miles, period. I’m a homebody, remember?”

She stroked his beautiful face. “I love that about you, by the way.”

“Even though you won’t move in with me.”

Not that again. “Lucas, it’s okay for us not to take everything at hyperspeed.”

“What can I get you to drink before we take off?” The flight attendant startled her, suspending her plans for the perfect next words.

“Water for me, please,” Ramona said to the young man.

“Same for me. Thank you.” Lucas dropped his head back and closed his eyes.

Maybe he was tired. It had been an emotional time for him, too, which she sometimes forgot. Having to hold the secret of his engagement for so long, the risk of coming to San Francisco to profess his love, the week they spent together negotiating their future. It could take a toll.

She gazed at his profile, the flutter beneath his eyelids, the bobbing of his Adam’s apple, the tiny twitch around his lips. There was no question about her commitment. Not wanting to move in with him had nothing to do with that. She wanted to spend more time with her father, certainly, but mostly she wanted to allow some space for her and Lucas to grow into their new relationship. The pressure of too much too soon could go terribly wrong. And that was a risk she wouldn’t take.

With a touch of her palm, she brought his face to her for a soft, lingering kiss.

He blinked as the straight line of his lips curved upward. “I know what you’re doing is a big deal for you. I’m not taking that for granted.” He let out a sigh. “It’s just hard for me to imagine you there, minutes away, and not with me.”

They’d had a week of being together night and day, and it had been one of the best weeks of her life. She couldn’t have asked for more harmony, greater love, or better sex. But it wasn’t real life. Neither of them was working, there were no families around. It was different.

“You’re going to get sick of seeing me so much.”

All the softness disappeared from his face. “There’s no possibility of that happening.”

The flight attendant brought their glasses of water, once again interrupting the brilliant response Ramona hadn’t yet formulated.

Lucas rested his head back again. “I’m going to close my eyes for a few minutes, okay?”

She hated how weary he sounded. “Yes, of course. Sweet dreams.”

A couple who looked like they must have been newlyweds sat across the aisle from her. Would that be the next situation they’d have to negotiate? Lucas was definitely the marrying type. She didn’t have anything against getting married, per se, but never considered that she would. It just didn’t seem necessary in this day and age. She wasn’t looking for some man to take care of her or some kind of sanction by a religious organization.

The newlyweds started laughing. Why was she thinking about marriage, anyway? One step at a time, Ramona.

Getting some work done would be a good idea. She pulled out her journal and tablet from her bag. There was so much planning to do, not only for the move but also the project with her grandfather’s house. She considered herself excellent at organization and prioritizing, but this project was straining her capabilities. Camille, who was providing the bulk of the capital, had even less experience. Top of the list was hiring a project manager who could be the point person for the construction and all the permits she’d have to file. Hopefully, Connor would help with that, considering he was Mayor.

The thought of her brother brought tightness to the back of her jaw. Why couldn’t he just be satisfied with being Mayor? He had a great life, plenty of money, enough fame to satisfy his ego. Why step into the cauldron of evil that was national politics? It didn’t make any sense, considering all they’d experienced in that world. Maybe being back in Virginia had warped his brain.

She rubbed the sore spot near her ears. Her moving might have yet another benefit, in addition to being with Lucas and spending time with her Dad. Perhaps she could talk Connor out of this crazy idea of running for Senate and spare them all the inevitable suffering should he achieve the impossible and win.

Ramona shook her head at the idea and returned to the nearly blank page of her journal. The act of writing out each task she could think of for the mansion was as soothing as a neck massage. Next - tackling her emails.

One by one, with gratitude for in-air wifi, she dealt with each of those messages cluttering up her normally pristine email program. Things moved too quickly in her world to ever slack off on communication. She could get inundated very fast. Ramona didn’t do inundated.

Satisfied with her progress, she went back to the to-do list in her notebook, this time focusing on personal items. A growl-like yawn from the next seat stopped her from adding the final dates to her now extensive list. “Hey, lover. Look who’s the sleepy one, now.”

“Oh, but I was so busy in my dreams,” Lucas said, the sleep not yet out of his voice. “And so were you, by the way.”

She chuckled. “Really? What was I so busy doing?”

He shut his eyes and filled the rest of his face with the kind of smile she knew how to decipher. “How about I show you later?”

Ramona planted a kiss on his lips. “I’m looking forward to that.” And that was the truth.

He blinked down at her tray, covered in papers and devices. “What are you working on?”

“Mostly planning. I want to get everything set up in Virginia before my trip next week.”

He nodded. “How can I help?”

“Uhhh…” That was a good question. One she never considered. “Not sure, honey. Keep me well fed?”

He met her shrug with a furrowed brow. “You know, I’m good for more than just grilled cheese sandwiches. I’ve been running successful businesses for some time now.”

That statement made her swoon, nearly as much as that dimple of his. Successful men were a special kind of pleasure. “I know that. You’re a damned impressive man, Lucas Winston. And don’t even get me started on that ass of yours.”

He failed at holding back a smile, instead snuggling over to her side and peering into the page open in her notebook. “So, what’s on the list?”

“Remember, it’s just a brain dump. Not in order of priority or anything.” She’d never shared her personal to-do list with anyone before. At least someone who wasn’t on her payroll. This was weird. She cleared her throat. “Let’s see… I’ve got to get a new driver’s license, shop for a car-”

“Why don’t you use your father’s car? He’s not driving much.”

“Maybe in the short term.” She jotted down a note to ask her father.

“Alright, what’s next?”

She reluctantly re-directed her thoughts from how fun a make-out session would be and placed them back on the scribbled words below her. “I’d like to find a personal assistant - someone to help with coordinating the moving people and travel plans… that kind of thing. Oh, and I need a new gyno. I’m pretty sure it’s time to replace my birth control implant.”

He rubbed his chin. “Hmmm… Want me to ask my mother where she goes?”

She could not have rolled her eyes more dramatically. “You’re kidding, right? No, that’s fine. Maybe I’ll ask Leni. Although, I don’t think birth control is her concern any longer.”

“Probably right on that. But you’d rather ask your father’s girlfriend than my Mom, who’s known you forever?”

“Asking your mother about a gynecologist will draw her attention to my lady parts and sex, which will draw her attention to us having sex. I’m not going there.”

Thankfully, the flight attendant interrupted them with a drink order. What Olivia Winston thought about Ramona’s involvement with her precious son was pretty close to the bottom of her ‘Things I Give a Shit About’ list. Even so, the idea of it made her shudder in disgust.

---

Between working on her lists and sneaking in ample amounts of kissing, Ramona barely noticed the five-hours of the flight. Her bags were the first off the carousel and Connor greeted them at passenger pickup, holding a sign that read ‘Scandal Twins’. The big dork thought he was oh so clever. Too bad Lucas encouraged it with that ridiculous back-slapping guy greeting.

Regardless, everything had gone smoothly and Sunday afternoon traffic toward downtown DC was a breeze. Ramona took this all as incontrovertible evidence of the perfection of her decision.

“How was your week in San Fran?” Connor asked.

Lucas squeezed her hand. “Amazing.”

“Well, you sure left a big mess here. The phones in my office still haven’t stopped ringing, and my email has blown up. All these alleged reporters want a statement about the woman who broke up the wedding of the decade. It’s hard to legislate when all anyone cares about is the transgression between my sister and my best friend.”

Ramona wasn’t going to take any of this. “Oh, is that what you’re calling your job now? Legislating?”

“Come on, Mo. You know I’m trying to keep things clean for the Senate run.”

Lucas reached toward the driver’s seat and clasped Connor’s shoulder. “Sorry, man. I wasn’t trying to sully your reputation. I’m sure it’ll blow over soon enough. It’s not nearly scandalous enough to linger.”

Ramona wasn’t feeling nearly as gracious. She would have preferred giving him a smack in the back of the head.

As they waited at the stoplight a few minutes away from home, Connor twisted around to face them in the back seat. “So, where am I headed? Dad’s? Lucas’?”

She looked at Lucas. Logistics was her superpower. “Since Luc has to get to the restaurant, why don’t we drop him off first, then we can head to Dad’s?”

Lucas grabbed her arm, harder than expected. The look on his face didn’t bode well.

“Is that alright, honey?”

He shook his head. “I suppose. I’m just having a hard time thinking about going our separate ways.”

That man had the ability to dissolve all her logic and levelheadedness into pools of fangirl swooning. She threw her arms around him and planted a well-deserved kiss on his mouth. He didn’t resist.

“Hey, get a room!” came from the driver’s seat.

“Planning on it.” Lucas could not grin any wider.

She looked into his eyes. “It’ll only be for the night. You’re going to be super busy anyway, probably getting home at some crazy hour.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Hope glimmered in his eyes.

“Not tonight, love. You can focus on work, and I’ll spend some time with Dad. All right?”

Lucas pressed his lips together and gave her a reluctant shrug.

---

Ramona walked Lucas into his house, an unexpected feeling of desperation keeping her lingering at the door. He was right. The idea of being apart for the first time in a week felt very strange. Shit.

He emerged from the kitchen dangling a tiny retractable tape measure from his hand. Confusion was short-lived as the key attached to it landed in her palm.

“Use this, please.”

She nodded as if she’d never been given the key to a man’s house before. Because she hadn’t.

She got back into the car, face tight with the effort of staying cool and collected. All she wanted to do was get back to her father’s, give him a great big hug, and begin the process of settling in. Maybe even sit in the tub for a few hours. The image of a bath brought up Lucas’ amazing bathhouse, which didn’t help dissolve the lump in her throat. How foolish. She had survived saying goodbye to him weeks ago and was now struggling to keep it together because they’d be apart for a night. Ridiculous.

“You okay there, sis?”

Her brother was weaving his way through some unrecognized neighborhood.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Totally fine.”

“Hmmm. Are you sure everything’s all right?”

Something in the tone of his voice rubbed her the wrong way. “Yes, I said everything’s fine. Why are you asking me this?”

He stopped at an empty intersection. “I can tell it’s a big deal for you.”

Those same words. Enough, already. “I wish everyone would stop saying that. It was my idea to move back. It’s not like I’m here unwillingly.”

“Mo, you’re the most commitment phobic person I’ve ever known. And you swore to everyone that you’d rather die than come back to Virginia. Maybe you should expect that there’s some skepticism.”

This was the kind of bullshit that made her want to strangle her big brother. Too bad he wasn’t a weakling anymore. “Please don’t start with me, Con. I just fucking got here.”

“I’m not starting with you, Ramona. I’m just saying that I understand. It was different when you thought you couldn’t have him. More exciting, probably. Now that you two are settling down, it’s natural to have second thoughts.”

She closed her eyes and wondered how her brother had become such an asshole. “I’m not sure, but it sounds like you’re trying to give me relationship advice. Which is funny, because I don’t see a ring on your finger, either.”

“Not for lack of trying.” A heavy coat of resignation made his words feel like they weighed a hundred pounds.

A series of honks blared from the car behind them. They’d been sitting at the intersection, blocking traffic and fighting.

There was no way she could begin to respond to anything he said - his accusation or his admission. What a sad pair they were. Connor continued driving but stayed silent for the rest of the ride to their father’s house. She almost jumped out of the car before it had come to a complete stop in the driveway. A few quick moves and she’d retrieved her bags. “Thanks for the ride. Later.”

His face gave away no emotion. “Later.”

---

Thankfully, her father’s warm greeting mostly counteracted the terrible half hour before she’d arrived at his house. He then informed her that he wouldn’t be home that night, as he and Leni were headed to the special event at Winston’s. A moment of sadness made way to the realization that she’d actually have the house all to herself. She hadn’t had alone-time in much too long. This was going to be great.

Ramona got to spend a few hours with him - she made him tea and a snack - before Leni arrived to pick him up.

“You two look amazing.” Ramona hardly recognized her frail father. A nice suit and a beautiful woman on his arm made him look strong and healthy, happiness radiating off him. He even had a smudge of red around his lips where Leni had planted an impressive kiss. Although watching her father make out with his girlfriend was as odd as it was foreign, Ramona understood very clearly that this was the kind of moment she had come back for. She ushered them out the door like a mother sending her son off to prom.

She couldn’t change into pajamas fast enough, excited about her newfound quiet time. Having Lucas around 24/7 for the previous week had been like heaven, but a bit of solitary recovery was just what she needed. She prepared her favorite TV snack of carrot sticks and sesame dressing, headed to the couch and settled in. It was early, and even earlier on the West Coast, where her body clock was still set.

After too many episodes of her favorite medical drama, she was no closer to being ready for bed. It was eerily quiet, and the house was unfamiliar enough that she felt more like an intruder than a resident. Much sooner than she anticipated, she found herself uncomfortable with the emptiness. It pushed her to her feet, pacing through the empty rooms and corridors.

She ran her hands along the stained cherry molding in the main hallway. Her father had done a good job maintaining the old house. She had often wondered how he’d managed to keep it during all those years of being drunk and out of commission. Maybe her grandfather had paid for it, the idea of which gave her the first warm feeling about the Governor in years.

The day of the funeral replayed itself in her head - from the high of her night with Lucas to the crash of Abigail’s outstretched hand. What an emotional roller coaster it had been. And less than a month ago. It crossed her mind that maybe she was moving too fast, not giving herself enough time to think things through. To be reasonable. To plan appropriately.

There was no solace in reason when it left you alone on the couch.

Almost without realizing it, she’d slipped on her sneakers and picked up her purse. She pulled her father’s car keys from the small hook near the kitchen light switch and walked toward the front door, the tiny tape measure safely in her pocket.